Processing chambers are utilized in a wide variety of manufacturing processes. For example, processing chambers are utilized for a variety of applications in semiconductor device manufacture. Typically, a material is introduced into the chamber. The material reacts with one or more substrates or workpieces arranged within the chamber. Examples of such chambers include plasma reactors. In a plasma reactor, a plasma may be introduced into the processing chamber to react with a substrate or workpiece. A particular example of a plasma reactor is a plasma etching chamber. Other examples of treatment chambers utilized in semiconductor device manufacture include plasma ashing chambers, plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD), among others.
Typically, the plasma reacts with material on the substrate or workpiece. As reactions take place between the plasma and the material in substrate or workpiece, the materials resulting from the reactions may enter the atmosphere of the processing chamber. To insure flow of plasma through the chamber, typically, such chambers have an exhaust. A fan, pump, or other apparatus helps to insure flow of gases, plasma, and other materials out of the chamber.
Often, an element is placed in the chamber such that gases and/or other materials passing from the chamber to the exhaust must pass through the element to help prevent passage of unwanted materials into the exhaust. An example of such an element is a baffle plate. For example, baffle plates are often used in polymerizing plasma reactors to prevent unwanted deposition of polymer in a pump or on regions of a processing chamber that are difficult to clean, in particular, difficult to wipe clean. Material will build up on a baffle plate or other element until the baffle plate or element becomes too clogged to permit flow of materials and/or control of pressure within the chamber.
Once the baffle plate or other element becomes clogged, the chamber must be shut down, opened, and cleaned. This can be a time-consuming and expensive process. For example, if a processing chamber is shut down, then no processing can take place.